Preparing lotus seeds for sale

To increase their income one mother and her daughter, a CEF student, prepare lotus seeds for sale. 

They soak the seeds in their shells, drain them, then can remove the shell when soft. Next they remove the fine and delicate skin of the lotus seed, then remove the inner stamen of the seed, save those for tea, and then string the lotus seeds for sale. They only get US$0.75 cents for 1 kilogram of prepared lotus seeds.

Some of the little CEF children on a recent home visit day

These are some of the little people that CEF has found sponsors for. They are all very sweet and happy children although they have unfortunate circumstances. 

Two of the children have lost their father to AIDS and mum is dying too. The father of one of the children fell off the roof while doing repairs and has brain damage. Two operations on he is a little better, but still bedridden and can't speak. One father just died from a rare lung disease leaving mum with three young children to care for. 

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One girl is fortunate to have a loving mother and granny, and although both had no education they encourage her daily with her studies.

We are grateful that we have caring sponsors for these young children to keep them in school, and to support and encourage them with their studies.